As the temperature is slowly rising and the sun warms up the streets of Cairo, the pavements are taken over by swarms of little makeshift stalls.

Faded umbrellas rise up from the pavement in haphazard patterns, casting their shadows on anything from karkadeh, dubious underwear, knockoff T-shirts and anything else that you do not need.

With witty asides potential buyers are encouraged to enter into some good-natured bargaining and the noise of the traffic is drowned out by many Egyptian pop songs played loudly and simultaneously.

You know it is spring because the street vendors are back.